New testimony for youth evangelist Matt Pitt

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — After nearly eights months behind bars, attorneys for youth evangelist Matt Pitt say its time for him to be released. This after a man has come forward stating Pitt may not have been the aggressor in an fight over a BB gun.

“I just want the truth to come out,” says Matt’s mom Missy Pitt. “And we’ll leave that up to the justice system to decide what to be done.”

It was last October that Missy saw her son Matt go from a T-shirt and jeans to an orange jumpsuit. But she’s staying optimistic.

“Matt, he’s doing great in there,” says the mother. “He’s leading people to the lord.”

Pitt used to lead thousands of young believers each week at The Basement ministries. But a charge of impersonating a peace officer in Shelby County in May of 2012 started his legal troubles. A year later, an argument over a BB-gun in Jefferson County got his probation revoked when a man named Brandon Vessels testified that Pitt had again identified himself as an officer. Pitt’s attorneys now claim a witness shows Vessels wasn’t telling the whole truth.

“He did know who Matt Pitt was and in fact had been to a Basement event before,” says attorney Brian Ritchie. “And {he} said some derogatory things about The Basement. So we believe there might have been a motive for why Mr. Vessels acted the way he did.”

Still proclaiming his innocence, Missy hopes this helps bring new attention to her sons case, pointing out The Basements slogan “Not Perfect, Just Forgiven.”

“I know he would not do anything to harm anyone.”

Attorney’s for Matt Pitt hope this new affidavit will help get Pitts probation reinstated in Shelby County. They are still waiting for his Jefferson County case to be presented to the grand jury.